The two sides, who declared an impasse last July in their contract talks, had met last Friday and Wednesday at the request of former Gov. Ted Kulongoski. But "at the end of the day, they didn't reach an agreement," Fetsch said. ATU members have been working without a contract since November 2009.

ATU president Jonathan Hunt said employees are willing to shoulder some of the health care premiums and related costs. But "for a union for the last 40 years to go from $0 to paying $270 a month and copays from $5 to $25, that is a big jump," he said. He added that retirees in particular do not have the ability to absorb such a big change.

Both TriMet and the union said they are willing to return to the negotiating table, but nothing has been scheduled. The next step is for two unfair labor practices lodged by the union to go to a hearing, scheduled for May.